Morning Brief: Thursday, January 5, 2017

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We begin with a new CTV Nanos poll that says most Canadians would support putting new tariffs on U.S. goods if Trump pulls out of NAFTA. Almost half of Canadians said they support new tariffs and a quarter said they somewhat support a tax on American goods if that happened and the U.S. applied its own new tariffs and duties on Canadian goods.

Meanwhile, in an anti-dumping case that’s become an unusually hot political file, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal says new duties on drywall imported into Western Canada from the U.S. are against Canada’s short-term economic interests and it has recommended that Bill Morneau take action. BJ Siekierski reports.

Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch suggested in an interview with Fox News’ Business Network she doesn’t agree with universal healthcare. The host ended the interview by pressing that “it’s fair to say socialized medicine isn’t the cure – correct?” to which Leitch responded: “I would tend to agree with you.” Elsewhere, Maclean’s has this profile on Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch’s campaign manager, Nick Kouvalis.

The city of Nanaimo, B.C. is taking its own mayor to court on allegations he leaked confidential information to an employee to support a claim against the city. It follows a protracted squabble between mayor Bill McKay and council members where they asked the RCMP to investigate him for allegedly breaching financial disclosure obligations. A group of residents also launched a separate court petition to remove him from office.

The Toronto Sunhas this piece on a new department of finance report warning Ottawa’s finances could fall apart in the coming decades. It warns low growth and higher program spending “would be sufficient to put at risk the fiscal sustainability of the federal government,” and suggests the budget won’t be balanced until 2055.

Ottawa is spending some half a billion dollars on ringing in Canada’s 150th anniversary. The Globe and Mail has more on Ottawa’s spending plans for the celebrations. Seemingly unrelated to Canada’s 150th, the New York Times has ranked Canada as its top travel destination for 2017. It had five authors write about favourite memories visiting Port Hardy, B.C.; Dawson City, Yukon; Niagara and Grindstone Island in Ontario; and Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

Saskatchewan plans to consolidate its various health regions into one big provincial health authority this fall, hoping to reduce administration and bring in savings of between $10 million and $20 million. CP has details.

And Marc Garneau is now seeking assurances from Canadian airlines that their measures to confirm pilots are fit to fly are up to date and being enforced. That’s after an incident last weekend where a pilot in Calgary was accused of passing out in the cockpit from being drunk just ahead of takeoff.

HERE AND THERE

International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.

Manitoba labour leaders meet with Finance Minister Cameron Friesen.

ELSEWHERE

Top U.S. intelligence officials will testify to Congress later today about alleged Russian hacking in last year’s presidential election. Those hearings come a day ahead of Donald Trump’s briefing on the matter. Trump has been deeply critical of findings of Russian involvement, and his tweets citing Julian Assange in support of that view have set some Republicans off in interesting directions voicing disdain or support for Assange.

Meanwhile House Republicans have passed legislation giving Congress the power to fast-track ending dozens of recent rules brought in under President Obama. It allows for rolling-back any federal regulation brought in since May, once President-elect Donald Trump moves into the White House and can sign off.

It might be every girl’s dream to own a horse, or a pony, but eventually that harsh reality sets in not everybody can have one. But New Zealand teenager Hannah Simpson made do with what she had, saddled up, and now regularly rides her cow Lilac, instead, who is apparently quite a jumper.